Rifle Scopes : What general-purpose scopes are 'tough?'

Something above suggests to me that spotlighting is one thing that's hanging you up. Drop that criterion if it helps you.

One member of the spotlighting group has successfully used a $70 Tasco for the purpose on many occasions. To me, it's not great, but it's a whole lot better than either the price or reputation may imply. Interestingly, the only Vortex I've ever seen in the field (that's the hunting field, not matches) was an utter disaster, optically speaking. Neither its owner nor the Tasco owner nor anyone else could use it at all. To say I was surprised is an understatement. I don't know whether it was broken or not; that scope hasn't been back since. Nevertheless, that experience was sufficient to remind me of the price of an extended warranty.

If the brands you've explicitly mentioned are the only ones you think are relatively tougher than others, within the price cap given, then my choice is easy, so thank you.

Do your thoughts on toughness extend across the entire brand(s), or only certain lines within a brand?